Homogenizer



Mardn 941. K, D, SMH-M @,H

HOMOGENIZER Filed July 17, RWM

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY@ 4Patented Mar. its, 1941 PATENT 'o1-Fica nomocnmzsn. v Karl D. Smith, BattleCreek, Mich., assigner to American-Marsh Pumps, Inc., Battle C1-eek,

' Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application .any 17, 193s, serial No. `234,331; 9 claims. (ci. sia-265) f This invention relates to improvements in homogenizers.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a homogenizer valve assembly which is of large capacity and at the same time highly eflicient, the product being very uniform and without undesired viscosity.

Second, to provide an improved homogenizer which may be adjusted to homogenize the product to any desired degree without increasing the'visoosity of the product.

Third, to provide an apparatus of this character which is eilicient at less pressures than those which are commonly essential in a homogenizing apparatus of the valve type.

Fourth, to provide an apparatus having these advantages which is simple in its parts and their assembly, therebeing relatively few parts and these simple in designso that they may not only be economically produced but readily assembled and disassembled for sanitary purposes.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims. y

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in .the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view partially in vertical section of a preferred embodiment of my invention, only such parts of the apparatus being shown as are 4deemed necessary to illustrate my invention.

Fig. 2 is a` bottom perspective view of the combined turbulence chamber and atomizing member of the assembly.

Fig. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the Vvalve member. Y

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partially in vertiv cal section of a modified form of pressure means and packing therefor.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view partially in section corresponding tothat of Fig. 4 showing a coil type of pressure spring as distinguished from the rubber spring shown in Fig. 4.

In the accompanying drawing, I represents the body of a homogenizingy machine provided with an inlet passage 2 for the products to be homogenized or emulsifed. Milk and cream are products extensively l treated by apparatus of this character although it is desirable for use in certain other products whichit is desired to emulsify or homogenize--for example, certain salad compositions.

The product is supplied to the passage 2 by a suitable pressure pump and this is usually under high pressure and in order to effectively treat the products the pressures are sometimes so high that they are known to release certain. leucocyte and epithelial cells carried by the creamy portion of the milk and cream in varying degrees in different seasons. Therefore, homogenization at low pressures is a.A desirable feature not only from the standpoint of the product but also the economy factor which is apparent when Athe necessity for high pressures is avoided, and I have found my apparatus practical when operated at approximately one-half the pressure commonly necessary, namely, in the neighborhood of 3,000

u pounds per square inch.

The valve casing member 3 is detachably 'l mounted lon the body member I, the mounting means not being illustrated, and the housing member! is detachably mounted on the valve casing. This is common practice and therefore the mounting means is not illustrated.

The valve casing member is provided with a valve chamber 5 preferably in the form ofv a cylindrical bore with a countersunk portion E at its lower end adapted to receive the shoulder 1 of the valve seat member B. Y

The body member I is provided with a recess 9 adapted -to receive the valve seat member and a packing I'IJ, and the valve seat member is pro vided with a central inlet II surrounded by the conical valve seat I2.

The valve I3 is provided with a conical face 1 1 and is provided with a centering stem I5 engaging in the passage II of the valve seat member and having cut-away portions I6 providing for the passage of uid to be treated. This cenpartition element. This member I8 is provided with a central turbulence chamber and discharge passage I9 which has a plurality ofradial passage grooves 20 in its underside. This member I8 resting upon the at -top o f the valve I3 provides i I4 -coacting with the valve seat as shown in Fig.

a series of radial passages preferably arranged in opposed pairs, as shown in Fig. `2, opening to the chamber I'I and to the chamber I9 so that the fluid passes from the chamber I'I through these passages to the turbulence chamber I9 to which relation. Y

The chamber f! is connected to the discharge v2l of the valve casing through the short passage 22 inthe stem 23 of the pressure member 2S. This short passage 22 opens to the turbulence chamber and has radial delivery passages 25V delivering .to the valve chamber in communication with the delivery passage 2 l.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. l, the valve casing is provided with an upwardly facing packing chamber 25 receiving the packing 2l which is of U-cross section and which surrolmds the stem 23, the pressure on the pressure member acting to compress and seal this packing. llibe packing in this embodiment is an annular packing of U-cross section disposed to face downwardly. The pressure member is subject to the coiled spring 28 which is engaged at its upper end by the thrust block 29 actuated by the threaded cap 3B having suitable hand piec di. This provides a simple and eiective means for providing adjustable pressure.

In operation, the uid, milk for example, is

delivered under pressure to the valve, the valve being adjusted to break up the iat globules to the desired extent. This operation frequently results in rendering the product undesirably viscous due to the clustering of the broken-up fat globules. I therefore provide an expansion chamber lI to which the fluid passing the valve delivers and from this the huid is delivered through the radial passages which are ci' relatively small dimensions to the turbulence or atomizing chamber i9. The streams ci' iluid are delivered from these passages in an impinging turbulence-producing relation which I have found to be highly ecient in the breaking up or destroying or minimizlng the clustering referred te or, in other words, eliminating the undesired viscosity. The product is further agitated as it is delivered through the passages 25 into the valve chamber.

My improved homogenizing apparatus is highly eicient and, as stated, is capable of satisfactory performance under relatively low pressures which is advantageous both from the standpoint of economy and operation and also in that it does not release the cells above referred to.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 4, the packing member is omitted and a disk-like packing 32 of suitable iesible material is clamped between the housing a and the valve casing. The stem of the presslme member 33 is arranged through this flexible packing disk. In this embodiment, a rubber spring element 3E is arranged in and supported by the walls of the housing with its lower end in engagement with the presmuje member and the thrust member 29 acting upon its upper end.

In the embodiment shown in-Fig. 5, a coil spring 28 is substituted for the rubber spring.

It will be noted that the underside 35 of the pressure member'33 is shaped like an inverted cone to relieve the packing disk o any undue Having 'thus described my invention, w at I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a homogenizer, the combination with a valve casing member provided with a valve chamber having a discharge and an upwardly facing packing chamber, there being a central opening between said chambers, of an upwardly facing valve seat member having a. central inlet passage and an inwardly facing valve seat surrounding said inlet, a valve coactng withsaid valve seat and having a hat top and a centering stem disposed in said inlet passage centering the valve within said valve chamber for providing an annular expansion chamber for the uid passing the valve, a disk superimposed on said valve in fitting relation to the walls of the valve chamber and having a central turbulence chamber, and a plurality of radially disposed grooves in its underside opening to the said turbulence chamber and to said expansion chamber and coacting with the top of the valve to provide a plurality of radially disposed passages discharging the Iluid to said turbulence chamber in an impinging relation, a pressure member having a stem projecting through said opening between said packing chamber and said valve chamber to engage said disk and having a discharge passage opening to said turbulence chamber and to said valve chamber, a packing arranged in said packing chamber, and means for applying pressure to said pressure member.

2. In a homogenizer, the combination with a valve casing member provided with a valve chamber having a discharge and an upwardly facing packing chamber, there being a central opening between said chambers, of an upwardly facing valve seat member having a central inlet passage, an inwardly facing valve seat surrounding said inlet, a valve coactng with said valve seat, there being an annular expansion chamber for the uid passing the valve, a member superimposed on said valve and having a central turbulence chamber,l a plurality of radially disposed discharge passages between said valve and last named member for discharging the fluid from said expansion chamber to said turbulence chamber in an impinging relation, a pressure member having a stem projecting through said opening between said packing member and said valve chamber to engage said disk and having a discharge passage opening to said turbulence chamber and to said valve chamber, a packing arranged in said packing chamber, and means for applying pressure to said pressure member.

3. In a homogenizer, the combination with a valve casing member provided with a valve chamber having a discharge, of an upwardly facing valve seat member having a central inlet passage land an inwardly facing valve seat surrounding said inlet, a valve enacting with said valve seat and having a nat top and a. centering stem disposed in said inlet passage centering the valve within said valve chamber for .providing an annular expansion chamber for the uid passing the valve, a disk superimposed on said valve in tting relation .to the' Walls of .the valve chamber and having. a central turbulence chamber, and a plurality of radially disposed grooves in its underside opening to the said turbulence chamber and to said expansion chamber and coacting with the top of the valve to provide a plurality of radially disposed passages discharging .the uid to said turbulence chamber in an impinging relation.

4. In a homogenizer, the combination with a valve casing member provided with a valve cham- .berhaving a discharge, of an inwardly facing valve seat member having a, central inlet passage, a. valve coacting with said valve seat, there being an annular expansion chamber for the iluid passing the valve, a member superimposed on said valve and having a central turbulence chamber, a plurality of radially disposed discharge. passages between said valve and last named member for discharging the fluid from sai-d expansion chamber to said turbulence chamber in an impinging relation, and means for applying pressure to said valve.

5. In a homogenizer, the combination with a valve casing member provided with a valve chamber having a discharge, o1' an upwardly facing valve seat member having a central inlet passage, a valve coacting with said valve seat and having a hat top and a centering stem disposed in said inlet centering the valve within said valve chamber and providing a surrounding annular expansion chamber for the fluid passing the valve, and a disk superimposed on said valve in fitting relation to the Walls of the valve chamber and having a central turbulence chamber in communication with said discharge, and a plurality of radially disposed grooves in its underside opening to the said turbulence chamber and to said expansion chamber and coasting with the top of the valve to provide radially disposed passages discharging 4the iluid to sai-d turbulence chamber in an impinging relation. A

6. In a homogenizing device, the combination with a valve casing having a cylindrical valve chamber, of an inwardly facing valve seat member having a central inlet passage, a valve coacting with said valve seat member, there being an annular expansion chamber surrounding said valve to receive the discharge thereof, a disk constituting a partition for said valve chamber superimposed on said valve and having a central turbulence and delivery chamber, and a plurality oi radial passages opening thereto and to said expansion chamber. said passages being arranged in opposed pairs so that they deliver to said turbulence chamber in an impinging turbulenceproducing relation.

7. In a homogenizer, the Vcombination with a valve casing member provided with a valve cham- .ber having a discharge and an inlet surrounded -by an inwardly facing valve seat, of a valve coacting with said valve seat, there being an annular expansion chamber surrounding said valve for receiving the fluid discharged therefrom, and a member disposed on said valve and having a central turbulence chamber communicating with the discharge of rthevalve casing, and a plurality of radially disposed passages between said valve and member communicating with said expansion chamber and vwith said turbulence chamber and discharging fluid thereto in an impinging relation.

8. Ina homogenizer. the combination of a valve casing member provided with a, valve chamber having a. discharge and an inwardly facing valve seat provided with an inlet, a valve coacting with said seat, said casing member having an expansion chamber receiving the fluid passing the,

valve, a turbulence chamber communicating with the dis-charge -oi the valve casing, and a plurality of passages each of relatively small capacity opening to said expansion chamber and delivering to said turbulence chamber inopposed pairs whereby the lluid is discharged to said turbulence chamber in an impinging relation.

9. In a homogenizer, the combination with a valve casing member provided with a valve chamber having a discharge, oi an inwardly facing valve seat having an inlet associated therewith, a valve coacting with said valve seat, a chamber surrounding the valve for receiving the fluid passing the valve, and a plurality of passages for discharging the iiuid from said chamber arranged radially of the chamber so that the iluid is discharged therefrom in an impinging rela-tion, the discharge of said passages being in communication with the discharge of said valve chamber.

KARL D. SMITH. 

